Proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR) is a catastrophic complication of a retinal detachment (RD) and can cause profound visual loss. PVR is a scar tissue formation within the eye and is typically treated by surgeries.
Treatment for PVR includes, but is not limited to, e.g., pars plana vitrectomy, membrane peeling where small instruments are used to peel the membranes from the surface of the retina, and scleral buckling. These techniques are combined with fluids placed in the eye to flatten the retina and reattach it to the outer wall of the retina followed by laser photocoagulation to connect the retina permanently. Typically, the fluids used are perfluoron (PFO) or perfluoro-n-octane which are heavier-than-water fluid and push the retina into its normal position. When injected, PFO settles to the back of the eye and pushes the subretinal fluid to the front. Alternatively, a gas bubble is placed in the eye to hold the retina in place while it is healing, or as another alternative, silicone oil is used to hold the retina in its position. Disadvantages of the gas bubble include, but are not limited to, that the patient must restrict the movement of their head for two to three weeks following surgery before they can go back to normal activities. Disadvantages of the silicone oil bubble include, but are not limited to, that the patient requires removal of the oil in several months following the procedure. Additional disadvantages of both the gas bubble and the silicone bubble include that these techniques may lead to secondary glaucoma and may not be effective to inferior retina.
More than 500,000 vitrectomy surgeries are performed annually in the world. About 80% of surgeries are performed with temporary tamponade, such as gas, silicone oil or heavy silicone oil of which about 10% surgeries are not successful. There is a need for efficient and simple treatment of eye diseases related to retinal detachment.